Feat
by Legendary Biologist
Summary: [GGAM - R] A journey to the laundry tested Brandon's skill with his artificial leg.


**FEAT**

 **A/N: This is set in** _ **Betray Me Not**_ **universe and takes place after** _ **Worth**_ **(any missing information here can be found there). Written for The Review Lounge, Too Fall 2015 Green Room. The challenge is The Silence Challenge.**

 **All disclaimers apply.**

* * *

After waving a hand at Mika's departure to school, Brandon looked at the daily calendar on the wall of his trailer. Nobody had written the word 'physiotherapy' or 'transfusion' on the piece of paper. He was free to sleep all day.

 _No._ Brandon shook his head, his gaze dropping down to the metallic floor. The doctor had suggested that he never spent his day sitting idly on his steel recliner. The lack of mobility would only stiffen his joints, which would later hinder his movement and render his gait training difficult.

He looked around, searching for something to keep him busy. Cleaning the trailer? He couldn't find a speck of dust on the floor, let alone candy wrappers or other sorts of garbage. Perhaps he could make himself busy by spraying the chilly little room with disinfectant, though he doubted it was a good idea. That germ-killing substance would cause health issues in huge amounts, while Brandon had forgotten when the last time he or the doctor disinfected the trailer. His dead sense of smell couldn't help him remember.

A scan through the trailer sparked an idea in his head and etched a small smile on his scarred face. Grime still existed in his residence; his and Mika's dirty clothes had overfilled the cardboard that lay among the boxes containing Dr. Tokioka's medical books. He must bring that bin to the laundry soon.

As he sauntered towards the row of boxes, however, he remembered something. Millennion Tower was an office building, not an apartment; laundry didn't exist there. If Brandon ever needed such service, he had to go out of the organization's parking basement and walk down the dusty street.

It didn't sound too troublesome, though. For Brandon, going to the laundry by foot was a physical activity; something he needed to maintain his muscle strength and joint flexibility. Maybe he would fall several times on his way and need a shower afterwards, but everything would be worth it. Doing Mika a favor felt good, and so did keeping his body robust.

He walked towards the other side of the trailer. Once he reached his black greatcoat, he took it off the hanger and put it on. Now, dressed for heading out, he returned to where the row of boxes lay and wrapped his arm around the apparel-laden container. Fortunately, the bin fit into his one-armed embrace, which allowed him to lift it without a problem.

With the box in his grasp, Brandon sauntered towards the trailer's exit. A double door blocked his way, but having just one arm - a busy arm - didn't stop him there. He simply bit the door lever and pulled it down. With a harsh click, the door opened, and Brandon gently nudged it with his head to make a larger opening.

Getting out of the trailer by himself was not simple. The ledge Brandon currently trod lay about thirty centimeters above the ground, while he hadn't learnt how to ascend and descend a staircase with an artificial leg. Unless he wanted to fall, he'd better call a Millennion guardsman to help him.

No, he didn't need any help. Falling down would only scatter the dirty clothes all over the asphalt terrain; if that happened, Brandon would simply pick up the garments and return them to the container. The apparel was already grimy to begin with. Bruises? He only chuckled at that thought, knowing how tough his flesh and bones were. If his body ever hit the ground, the impact would hurt the poor floor instead.

So he decided to recall what his doctor had taught him about his prosthesis. Lifting his artificial leg before stepping the floor back with it, he remembered something about the synthetic knee. The joint would only flex if the foot didn't touch the ground; if he started his descent with the prosthesis first, maybe he wouldn't fall.

His assumption was true, which made him grin. By stepping off the ledge with his artificial leg before striking the lower ground with his sound foot, he managed to get down without a fuss.

After slamming the trailer's door shut with a headbutt, he looked left and right, searching for an elevator.

* * *

Brandon stepped out of the elevator and into Millennion's ground-level parking lot, a huge labyrinth of cars and concrete pillars. Thankfully, solid stone walls didn't enclose the whole area, so sunlight existed to direct him out of the maze.

Gentle breeze greeted him outside. Although it didn't freshen him as much as the winter wind did, it felt better than the windless summer. The zephyr would prevent him from sweating and thus, deter the microbial growth on his flesh.

With the light air blowing against his body, Brandon strolled past the lonely main entrance of Millennion Tower. As he ambled, though, he couldn't help but glance at the massive stone stairs. The set of steps made him wonder what would happen if he challenged himself to walk up and down the stairs, and Brandon smirked at his mental reply. _I would wreck the steps and my prosthesis._

He carried on walking. Except for the occasional rocks, plastic bags, and empty cans, the surface of the pavement was as smooth as his journey. This led to a smile to his face, as he knew that reaching the laundry wouldn't be an overly difficult task.

When he almost walked past the alley that resided beside his main route, his ears registered rustles amid the hum of the speeding cars on the road. Falling leaves? Trees didn't exist around here. Maybe the alleyway had something to do with the noise.

Brandon stopped and stared at the alley for a moment. Just a dead-end with fly-infested trash cans and some wandering cockroaches. Good. He didn't need to ready his rock-hard head and razor-edged teeth for a fight.

He continued his stroll. Upon catching billboards, hawkers with their stalls, and groups of people in his sight, he looked around as he walked. The laundry must be nearby, but Brandon paid more attention to the environment rather than his destination. A bustling shopping district was a pickpocket's den; for safety measures, he needed to keep an eye on his surroundings and avoid the crowd.

Unfortunately, rubbish occupied almost the whole sidewalk, and Brandon frowned at this. Unless he wanted to slip, smash the pavement, and scare the innocent souls around, he had to swerve each time he spotted a plastic bag or a piece of fruit peel on the ground.

Thanks to his inelegant footwork, Brandon moved too close to the pedestrians and occasionally, landed an elbow on their sides by accident. The victims of his clumsiness had often stared at him as if he were a pickpocket, but by ignoring the unfriendly glares, he managed to make his way to the laundry without a fuss. Now, a building with glass doors and the words 'Kilos Laundry and Dry-Cleaning' written on their transparent surface loomed before him. Through the doors, he saw clean clothes hung for display behind the counter.

* * *

After handing the dirty clothes to the laundryman and paying the bill, Brandon stepped out of the building and began his journey home. Since he had left the cardboard at the laundry, he could pace faster with a better equilibrium thanks to unimpeded movements. The crowd stole too much wind from the surroundings, so he needed that boost to grab some fresh air immediately.

He soon made his way out of the busy shopping street, but walking quickly had also brought drops of sweat out of his body. _Once I'm home_ , Brandon thought, slowing down, _I'll have a shower and spend the rest of my day in the trailer._ _If I need more physical activities, I'll just walk around the lobby. Millennion Tower is never this hot and humid._

Moments later, he came across the dead-end alley he saw earlier. This time, however, in addition to rustles, squeaks and sounds of clashing cans exploded out of it. Brandon immediately shifted his gaze to the passage. Rats. Along with those insects, those four-legged animals turned the alley into a community of pests.

Brandon moved on, and soon, he let out a sigh of relief at the breeze. It had finally returned, although it felt less refreshing than earlier. Maybe the approaching noon influenced its freshness level.

It didn't take too long until he came across the main entrance of Millennion Tower. Men in black suits were ascending and descending the stairs now, telling him that he had gone through a long journey. Well, once he arrived at the trailer, his home, he would call this a day and end it with a shower.

He had returned to the parking lot again, but now, some cars had gone. Their disappearance left some gaps among the rows of four-wheeled vehicles, which enabled Brandon to find and reach the elevator more easily.

* * *

He finally arrived at the doorstep of his trailer. Grabbing the door lever and pulling it down, he opened the door and revealed a problem. The ledge. He still had one more issue to solve before he was truly back at home.

He spent a moment thinking of a way to enter his 'house' without falling. Should he tread the ledge with his synthetic or sound foot first? Once again, he lifted his artificial leg to see how his prosthetic knee worked. The joint bent when the sole was away from the ground, but when he stomped the floor, it straightened. Brandon thought it would be easier to land his good foot on the metallic projection of the trailer; he would have better control of his healthy knee.

So he struck the ledge with his sound foot before lifting his artificial leg. In a matter of seconds, he found himself standing inside his home. After slamming the door shut, he couldn't help but smile triumphantly as he strolled towards his coat hanger. He hadn't fallen even once during his journey to the laundry.

It was such a feat.

* * *

 **Notes:**

 **1\. Brandon, as Grave, can't seem to taste or smell something well. In episode 21, he downs a glass of bourbon in a gulp, and Gary wonders if Brandon can't enjoy the drink.**

 **2\. On the other hand, hearing appears to be Brandon's sharpest sense. He's also good at eavesdropping. In episode 19, however, Bob's intel enables some of Harry's Millennion men to exploit this and (kind of) deceive Brandon with their casual talk.**

 **3\. Millennion Tower (or simply The Tower) is the term for Millennion's building in the game universe.**


End file.
